Tigani Expands to Three-Car Bathurst 12H Assault

Mercedes-AMG outfit Tigani Motorsport will expand to three cars for an all-out attack for next year’s Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour.

Its expansion includes a step up to challenge for outright victory, as the team has confirmed it will field a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo in the Pro class for the first time in the Intercontinental GT Challenge season-opener on Feb. 13-15.

It will be the team’s first crack at an overall Bathurst 12H win, having become regular challengers in top-level GT racing in Australia in its short history.

Tigani has also confirmed the return of the Geyer Valmont Racing entry, to be steered by long-time friends and co-drivers Marcel Zalloua and Sergio Pires.

Meanwhile, the Supabarn Supermarkets Mercedes-AMG piloted by brothers James and Theo Koundouris will also return in a bid for a fourth class win.

Based in Wollongong in New South Wales, Tigani recently took over from Triple Eight Race Engineering as the Australian agent for Mercedes-AMGs customer racing operations in another leap forward for the rapidly growing team.

Its expansion comes off the back of a successful and race-winning season in GT World Challenge Australia where Paul Lucchitti and Jayden Ojeda were winners aboard their Tigani-fielded Realta supported entry.

The team will confirm its full driver line-ups closer to the event.

“We’re excited to step up to the Pro class and fly the flag for Mercedes-AMG,” team pwner Nathan Tigani said.

“The Mercedes-AMG GT3 is always a contender on the Mountain and there’s always a strong contingent of them each year, and this year is looking like no difference.

“To join the ranks of teams with a fully-pro outfit and to be able to challenge for an outright win is very special and a great challenge for us – and great opportunity too.

“All three cars will be competitive. For the Geyer Valmont Racing boys it’s about redemption from this year’s race, when they were taken out while running in a really strong position, leading, quite early in the race. That was a massive disappointment and bouncing back from that is a big ambition of ours.

“On the Supabarn side, the challenge there is to get a fourth class win for the brothers. Their track record is incredible at Bathurst so to be part of that and potentially add to their record would be exciting.”